Railway-car switch-operating device



(No Model.)

B. B. BREED. RAILWAY GAR SWITGH OPERATING DEVICE.

Patented Aug. 28, 1 894.

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NrTED' STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

BURRITT B. BREED, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

RAILWAY-CAR SWITCH-OPERATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 525,253, dated August28, 1894.

Application filed March 30, 1894.

To all whom, it may concern: I

Be it known that I, BURRITT B. BREED, a c tizen of the United States,residing at Oinclnnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-GarSwitch-Operatlng Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a switch, primarily adapted for street railways,and to be operated by the attendant who manages the m0- two power forpropelling the street car.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide means for throwing theswitch in either direction at the will of the operator who operates themechanism for throwing the switch to the right or to the left as theoccas1on may require.

Another object of my invention is to so arrange the switch throwingmechanism that when the switch is thrown in one direction that mechanismis out of connection and will work idle until the switch has been thrownback again, which movement places the parts in relation so that theswitch may be again moved by said mechanism.

The various features of my invention are fully setforth in thedescription of the accompanying drawings making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan viewof my improvement inposition for use. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one rail with the powertransmitting mechanism'attached. Fig. 3 is a section on line saw, Fig.1.Fig. 4 is a section on line '0, '0, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a side elevationof the front end of astreet car with the switch throwing leversattached. Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View of Fig. 5.

A A represent the main track rails.

B B represent the turn-out rails.

O represents the movable tongue switch.

D represents a switch bar. The tongue switch 0 is connected to theswitch bar by the pin a, connecting the two parts together, said pinmoves in the recess 1) pierced through the head of the main rail A. Theends of the switch bar D are made polygonal and move in mortises piercedthrough the webs of the'rails, whereby said rod is suitably supported tomove longitudinally and is pre- Serial No. 505,738. on model.)

vented from turning. In order that the attendant may throw the tongueswitch in either direction while the car is moving upon the track, Iemploy the following instrumentalities:

E E represent lugs on the switch bar projecting downward.

F F represent cranks on the rotary torsion rods G G; said rods journalin the ears 0, and are rigidly attached to the drum H suspended uponsaid rod. (1 represents a spiral groove formed'in the periphery of eachof said drums.

'1 represents treadles projecting up through the platform of the car. Toeach of said treadles are connected bellcrank levers J.

K represents a connecting rod one end of which is journaled to bellcranklevers J and the other end to the tripping arm L; said arm' is journaledupon the hub of wheel M.

N represents a spring connecting said arm to the bracket 0 forretracting the arm. The tripping arm is shown as journaled on the caraxle, while the connecting rod is loosely hinged to said arm and to thetreadle crank; hence the movement of the car up and down on its springdoes not effect the positive engagement of the tripping arm withthepower moving'and transmitting device.

In order to illustrate the mode of operation I have shown my switchthrowing device attached to the under side of the grooved rail, but ofcourse it could be used just as well with a tram rail, as the plate Qserves as a guide to direct the tripping arm.

Mode of operation: It will be observed that the mechanisms of each sideof the track are duplicates one of the other, each operated by anindependent treadle, and they are so arranged that if the operatorwishes to go to the left he can place his foot on the left treadle andset the switch in the proper direction; if he wishes to go straightahead he places his foot upon the right hand treadle and throws theswitch inthe proper direction for moving the car in such direction. Whentreadle I is depressed the lower end of the bellcrank lever J pulls theconnecting rod K forward bringing the switch arm L down to a verticalposition, the projecting end of said arm enters the groove in the railand passes down into the slot d on the periphery of drum H, the underside of the head rail is grooved away so as to bring the-peripheral edgeof said drum just below and opposite the flange of the wheel. The slot(1 being spiral causes the drum H to turn by the engagement of the armL, which rotates a rod G and turns the crank, say F ,into a horizontalposition; the end of the crank engages with the lug E, of the switch barD, and moves it say to the left, and thus moving the tongue of theswitch 0 in a corresponding direction. It will be seen by reference toFig. 4 that the lug E is so far away from thecrank F that it maybe movedup.

and down without operating the switch bar in this position, the switchthrowing mechanism working idle. If, however, the opposite crank hasthrown the switch bar, say to the right, the lug E will be brought closeto the position of the crank F, so that if the crank F be then turnedthe switch bar and the switch 0 will be thrown to the left. The partsbeing duplicate upon either side it follows that if the operatordepresses the proper treadle the switch will be thrown in the properdirection, and if also he depresses the same treadle when it is thrownin the proper direction the switch throwing mechanism will work idle anddo no damage. This is a very important advantage. The reason why 1 usetorsion rods G for transmitting movement from drums H H to theirrespective cranks for throwing the switch bar, is for this purpose;suppose there should be dirt or obstructions in the groove of the railin which the switch tongue 0 lies, so that a complete movement of thetongue can not be made, the rod will yield a little under the strain andprevent breaking of the parts and it will spring back again intoposition as it is relieved from the strain. The drums H H are eachinclosed in a box P, and they are provided with a lid Q one edge ofwhich is asunder from the sides of the box a sulficient distance to forma gain h, so that the free end of the tripping arm L will be guided bythe edge of the lid and caused to enter the groove D, in the peripheryof the drum, so that the drum will be forced to turn and the trippingarm held from lateral movement, thus securing a positive engagement ofthe tripping arm with the grooves of the drums whenever it is depressedby the operator. And said drums are weighted so that when the trippingarm leaves the groove they assume their normal position. Anotherimportant advantage is obtained by the loose crank connection of theswitch bar. The switch can be moved by the ordinary means as the poweroperating devices are disconnected.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. A switch throwingmechanism consisting substantially of a drum provided with a spiralgroove, one end of which is located vertically under the groove of therail and crank connection with the switch bar, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a switch throwing mechanism, the

power transmitting devices consisting substantially of drum H,connecting rod G, having loose crank engagement with the switch rod D,whereby the parts are moved idle when the switch is set in onedirection, and adapted to throw the switch when it is set in theopposite direction, substantially as described. 3. The powertransmitting devices consisting substantially of a spiral grooved drumH, the torsion connecting rod G, provided with crank F, adapted toloosely engage with the lug E, of the switch, substantially asdescribed.

4:- The power transmitting devices consisting substantially of a spiralgrooved drum, a connecting rod provided with a crank adapted to looselyengage with the lug of the switch bar, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the spiral grooved drum H, supported under thegroove of the rail, the guide plate Q forming the recess h opposite theend of the groove of said drum, substantially as described.

6. In a switch throwing device, the switch bar D supported in mortisesin the webs of the rails, means for preventing the switch bar fromrotary movement, and the tongue switch 0, and a loose crank connectionat each end of said connecting rod and means for operating said cranksto move the switch bar alternately in either direction, substantially asdescribed.

7. In a switch throwing mechanism, the combination of a switch rodconnected with the switch, a torsion rod having a crank adapted toloosely engage a lug on the switch rod, a drum rigidly mounted on thetorsion rod and provided with a spiral groove one end of which isnormally located adjacent to the track rail, and lover actuated trippingmechanism carried on a car and adapted to engage the spiral groove ofthe drum, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

BURRITT B. BREED.

Witnesses:

T. SIMMONS, W. R. W001).

